The present invention generally relates to a beam isolator and more specifically to a cross beam isolator for a railroad car such as a coal railroad car. The railroad industry utilizes a variety of railroad cars for transporting products. Many of these railroad cars transport heavy loads of raw materials or products that cause significant stresses to the railcar""s structure during movement of the cars. As a result, wear occurs on the various parts of such railcars. Wear can also occur on the railroad cars when the cars travel empty due to increased vibration and movement which is prevented when the cars are fully loaded.
One such railcar is a coal railroad car or coal car. Coal cars transport heavy loads of coal to various destinations. The substantial weight of the coal in the railcar can cause significant stresses to the body of the coal car, and specifically to the side walls of the coal car. During movement of a coal car, the movement and vibration of the coal in the coal car in addition to gravity, forces the coal outwardly against the walls and in particular the side walls of the coal car. Such car also often travels empty.
Coal cars and other railroad cars are sometimes constructed with various types of beams, supports, braces and connecting parts to maintain the structure, strength and integrity of the railroad cars. However, over time, the stresses generated during the movement of the car and the transportation of the raw materials or other products from one location to another, can cause the beams, supports, braces and other connecting parts to wear. As a result, significant costs and time may be expended to maintain and/or replace the various components and parts of railroad cars such as coal cars.
Therefore, there is a need for a device for railroad cars which helps to maintain the integrity of the components and parts in the railroad cars while increasing the resistance of the components and parts to wear which can be caused during the movement of the cars and during the loading, unloading and transportation of the raw materials or products in these cars.
The present invention is directed to a beam isolator which reduces or minimizes wear on beams, supports, braces and other connecting parts in railroad cars which can be caused by the stress forces of transporting heavy loads in these cars. Additionally, the present invention reduces or minimizes the wear on railroad cars due to the movement of the cars which causes vibration and other added stresses on the beams, supports, braces and connecting parts.
Railroad cars are often used to transport heavy loads of materials. The present invention can be used for any suitable railroad car. For purposes of this application, the present invention is described in relation to coal railroad cars or coal cars. However, such description is not intended to limit the present invention. Typically, a coal car includes a frame supported by trucks, each of which have several wheels which roll along railroad tracks. The frame supports two metal side walls, two metal end walls and a metal bottom wall. The side walls, end walls and bottom wall are connected together to form an interior compartment which stores the coal. The interior compartment of the coal car includes metal tubular generally horizontally disposed beams, supports or braces and angled tubular beams, supports or braces which are connected to mounts, mounting brackets or side plates attached to the walls such as the side walls of the coal car. The metal walls are usually made of steel or aluminum and the beams, supports or braces and mounting plates are usually made of steel or aluminum. The tubular beams provide stability and strength to the side walls and minimize or prevent the outward force of the coal from bulging out the side walls of the car during loading, unloading and movement of the coal car.
In one preferred embodiment, the beam isolator of the present invention is inserted into the ends of the tubular beams prior to connecting the tubular beams to the mounting brackets. Prior to such insertion, the beam isolator is in a substantially open or unfolded position. The beam isolator is manually closed or folded and inserted into each end of the tubular beam. It should be appreciated that the beam isolator may alternatively be mechanically folded and inserted into an end of a tubular beam using an automated process such as robotic apparatus or other suitable automated apparatus. After the beam isolator is inserted into each end of the tubular beam, the ends of the beam are connected to the mounting brackets attached to the walls or floor of the interior of the railroad car. A mounting bracket connector is inserted through each end of the beam or support, the beam isolator and the respective mounting bracket to secure the beam to the mounting brackets on each side wall of the coal car. A nut, washer(s) and bolt or other suitable locking device is used to secure each beam in place.
The beam isolators reduce or minimize the potential wear to the beam or support, the mounting brackets and the connectors which can potentially occur due to the back and forth and up and down movement of the beams with respect to the mounting brackets during movement of the car due to vibration and other forces when the car is empty and during loading, unloading and movement of the loaded coal car. The beam isolators minimize the metal to metal contact between the mounting brackets, beam ends and the connectors, to minimize or reduce the friction and stresses on these parts or components. As a result, the wear created between these components is minimized and/or prevented, which causes these components to last longer and need fewer repairs and/or replacement. Therefore, the costs and time needed to repair and/or replace these components are reduced.
In one embodiment, the beam isolator includes a first isolating pad and a second isolating pad and a hinge which connects a first end of the first isolating pad and a first end of the second isolating pad. The hinge is preferably a live hinge including spaced apart hinge members; however, any suitable hinge or hinged connection may be employed in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, in the closed or folded position, the hinge is outwardly biased or biased to further enable the beam isolator to be held in place inside the end of the tubular beam. Additionally, the first and second isolating pads each include second ends, which are generally free ends and are preferably not connected to each other.
In one preferred embodiment, stopping members, stopping lips or lips are attached to or extend from the second or free ends of the first and second isolating pads. The stopping members or lips may be suitably attached to or integrally formed with the second or free ends of the isolating members. The stopping members transversely protrude, extend or project from the surface of each of the isolating pads to engage the ends, edges or end edges of each side of the tubular beam or support to prevent the beam isolator from being inserted too far into the end of the tubular beam. The stopping members also minimize the time spent by a user making sure that the beam isolators are inserted properly into the ends of the tubular beams. It should thus be appreciated that a user can thereby insert several cross beam isolators into the respective ends of a group, lot or bundle of tubular beams in a short amount of time prior to mounting the beams in the railroad car.
In one embodiment, the first and second isolating pads each define openings, which are substantially aligned when the first isolating pad and the second isolating pad are moved, rotated or otherwise folded towards each other about the hinge. In one preferred embodiment, the openings are larger than the openings defined in the ends of the tubular beams and the mounting brackets to account for potential misalignment problems, different sized connectors and different positions of the connectors once the connectors are inserted through the ends of the tubular beams and mounting brackets. The openings enable a suitable connector such as a mount, bracket or plate connector to be inserted through the beam isolator and mount, mounting bracket or plates to secure the ends of the tubular beams to the mount, mounting bracket or plates.
In one embodiment, the beam isolator is manufactured using a suitable durable plastic or polymer material or any suitable self-lubricating material. In one embodiment, the beam isolators are manufactured using an injection molding process. Each beam isolator is preferably molded to a substantially uniform thickness and includes suitable release walls and grooves formed in the first and second isolating pads of the beam isolators. Specifically, the release walls can be formed on one side or surface of the first and second isolating pads and enable the molded beam isolators to be easily released from an injection molding apparatus. The grooves are formed on the opposite side or surface of the beam isolator from the side including the release walls and enable the beam isolators to cool quickly and uniformly after the injection molding process. It should be appreciated that the beam isolators of the present invention may be manufactured using any other suitable manufacturing process. It should be appreciated that the beam isolators of the present invention may be made in different sizes and/or shapes for different size railroad car beams, supports and braces.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide a beam isolator for insertion into at least one end of a tubular beam, support or brace in a railroad car to minimize or reduce potential wear of the beam, support or brace and associated mount, mounting bracket or plate during movement of the railroad car.
A further advantage of the present invention is to provide a beam isolator which is easily and quickly insertable into the ends of a beam, support or brace for a railroad car.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, elements, components, steps and processes.